OBJECTIVETo explore the regulatory effect of Suifukang (SFK), a compound Chinese patent drug on the change of free radical in tissue of spinal cord and blood caused by experimental spinal injury.

METHODSSeventy male adult SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, the SFK group (n = 20), the hormone group (n = 20), the control group (n = 20) and the normal group (n = 10). Rats in the former three groups were made into the right hemitransected spinal cord (T12) injury. SFK were given to the rats in the SFK group 3 days before and 2 hrs after modeling via gastrogavage, saline was given to rats in the control group at the same time. As for the rats in the hormone group, methyl-prednisolone 30 mg/kg was given once immediately by peritoneal injection. The rats were sacrificed in two batches (10 of each group in each batch) at 8 hrs and 24 hrs after modeling to obtain the serum and injured spinal cord tissue for determining superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content.

RESULTS(1) As compared with the normal group, SOD activity in serum and spinal tissue of the control group was lower significantly both at 8 hrs and 24 hrs after modeling, but the changes of SOD activity in the SFK and the hormone group were insignificant; (2) Content of MDA in serum and spinal tissue of rats elevated after modeling, which in the control group at 8 hrs after modeling were higher than that in the normal group, also higher than that in the SFK group and the hormone group; but at 24 hrs after modeling, it lowered significantly in both treated groups. The changes of MDA content in serum were similar to those in the spinal tissue.

CONCLUSIONSFK could effectively eliminate the excessive free radical in serum and injured spinal tissue, and raise the capability of antioxidation of organism.